Stewing on speeding up box store splitter

[CNYCountry]

9hp Subaru Robin engine.

Sean, what's the model # of that engine? I've kept an eye on FB marketplace and craigslist for used stuff. Knowing specific engines that'll have no problem driving a 16gpm pump would be helpful.

 

[CNYCountry]

Do some cutting, grinding and welding and stack two at a time. This is my big splitter with stacks on it. The bottom round is 12" diameter.

That looks cool, but this is wedge on ram design, necessary for being able to tip the beam up vertical. I do occasionally use that function, when I need it it is really nice to have.

 

[sean donato]

Sean, what's the model # of that engine? I've kept an eye on FB marketplace and craigslist for used stuff. Knowing specific engines that'll have no problem driving a 16gpm pump would be helpful.

I'll have to look when I get home for the model number. You need to remember log splitter pumps are typically 2 stage pumps, so they don't require the hp that a single stage pump does.

 

[cantoo]

I split onto conveyors so never use the vertical anyway. I have tables bolted to mine. The push plate is bolted over the factory wedge so could be converted back to vertical if needed. I also load big stuff with my loader.

 

[husky455rancher]

this is the pump I put on my splitter last year I think it was. It’s paired with the 6.5 predator and works great. If I had to do it again I’d take the chance on the 16gpm pump. The think the motor could spin it.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydra...Pump-MTE-Hydraulics-S21404-5184-9-7972-13.axd

 

[sean donato]

Sean, what's the model # of that engine? I've kept an eye on FB marketplace and craigslist for used stuff. Knowing specific engines that'll have no problem driving a 16gpm pump would be helpful.

It's a Subaru Robin EX-27.

 

[nathan4104]

You could take your cylinder to a machine shop and have bigger ports put on (3/4) and a larger rod. Maybe see about finding a larger rod/cylinder at a junk yard on an old machine…. May be cheaper to have the shop use old rod material if it’s in good shape.
I put a larger rod in a 3” cylinder…. Think it’s 1.5 or 1.75. It was 1” before. That sped up the retraction a lot. It wasn’t cheap ($300ish?) but then again I can’t buy an off the shelf cylinder like that either. That 3” cylinder splits knotty softwoods (spruce) and twisted birch no problems. It kicks into second stage every now and then. If most of your wood is not too ugly, the smaller cylinder will be faster too, as long as you’ll get enough force for the ugly’s on second stage. I use a 4 way with that 3” cylinder and have Very few pieces I drop it down for, mind you softwood and birch ain’t the stiffest wood out there….

 

[Big_Eddy]

As I suggested before, the biggest bang for buck is a bigger pump (and engine)
All the hose, port and rod size modifications in the world won’t come anywhere near the~50% increase in speed going from 11gpm to 16.

 

[kevin j]

I would put a pressure gauge in the system and find out what is the actual operating pressure and force when you are doing a hard round on the small displacement/slow speed. Then calculate the force and see if you could switch to a 4 inch or even 3.5 inch cylinder. 4 inch would give you 26% speed increase, and 26% force decrease, or it would operate at 26% higher pressure on the same log. 3.5 inch would give you a 65% increase speed/decrese force.
It may be hard to find a trunnion mount cylinder. Surplus Center has dozens of cylinders but few if any trunnion mounts.

 

[CNYCountry]

It's the goofy/possibly dangerous trunnion mount design that makes me not want to go too crazy with this machine, especially with different cylinders, cylinder mods etc. My only concern with hose and port sizes are in being able to handle 16gpm flow without going way beyond what's manageable with heat. I'm going to start with a 8hp motor and 16gpm pump this winter and see where it goes from there. I don't think that would hurt saleability if its not enough and even if it does I can always put it back to factory.

I like the idea of sticking a gauge on there just to know what kind of force I actually need, if for nothing else other than shopping for a better splitter.

 

[CTH-SXL]

I have the same Troy-bilt 27 ton splitter that has done well on Northeast Florida Live Oak . The picture is some of the twisted mess I deal with ! That said , the splitter has done well , but to achieve 27 tons of force , if my math is correct ( been 50+ years out of school ) , it takes 54,000 pounds of force . The cylinder is 4.5 " diameter which should take 3395.31 PSI to achieve that . I might add a pressure gauge to verify the operating pressure , but 3400 PSI sounds high ! Sherrill Tree log weight chart shows Live Oak to be the heaviest of the common American trees

 

[thenne1713]

So I've had a Troy-Bilt/MTD 27 ton splitter (https://www.troybilt.com/en_US/prio...g-splitter-model-24bf572b711/24BF572B711.html) for about 13 years and while it beats hand splitting I wish it was faster. Full cycle time 19 sec, 27" stroke, 4.5" bore, 11gpm driven by a vertical shaft Honda GCV 160. The hydraulic tank is the axle portion of the splitter and is only about 3 gallons. Total system capacity is about 5 gallons. Relevant to my question, because of the vertical shaft motor setup, the pump is mounted low under the motor, well under the level of oil in the tank.

I've been happy with it but have always been nervous about the half beam design - I remember seeing that some people had had problems with the side of the cylinder cracking at the trunnion where all the load is concentrated. I've never had a problem - I sharpened the wedge and it generally cuts through knots without the sending the pressure sky high but I've always been nervous about taking a high pressure jet of hydro to the face or something. Point is, I only want to go so crazy upgrading - it has what I think is a serious flaw that's not possible to fix without basically replacing the whole splitter. I could see myself replacing it with something better built someday but even with elm I've never found something it wouldn't handle, so the tonnage meets my needs, just not the speed.

While I haven't actually measured the fitting and hose sizes I'm thinking I could get away with bumping it up to 16gpm driven by one of those Harbor Fright 301cc 8hp horizontal shaft motors. Any more would really be pushing it unless I replaced all plumbing, valve, fit bigger ports to the cylinder etc. There were other versions of this splitter with horizontal shaft engines from the factory (e.g. https://www.troybilt.com/en_US/prior-year-models/tb-27-ls-troy-bilt-log-splitter/24BG57M1766.html) and it looks like while the motor and pump are mounted lower, the pump is right about at the level of the top of the fluid in the tank. Obviously capacity and cooling would also be a concern with a larger pump also, especially since I'd probably be pushing flow rates high through small hoses, fittings and valve.

I have the tools and fab skills to mount the motor and pump lower. The pump mounts and couplers also seem easy to find. My only concern is fluid capacity, cooling and height in relation to the pump.

Here are my questions - can someone tell me if they think this is a completely stupid idea - what if I mounted a second tank above the level of the first one, moved the return hose and filter to the upper tank inlet, and then ran a hose from the upper tank to the lower one at the original return inlet? I'd block off the fill on the lower one. Besides the obvious problems with a mess it would cause with servicing some parts, can anyone see any problems with the idea? Also, am I really pushing it with a 16gpm pump? This machine doesn't get run for more than a couple hours at a time.

My limited experience w/ One splitter told me just above idle was not any slower that running full throttle, nor less powerful, but a whole lot LESS NOISE. That said, I suspect port/ hose/ fitting size is the speed limiter? If any fittings use reducer bushings, suspect you could speed up by increasing hose size? Good Luck.

 

[ericm979]

If your splitter isn't any faster at full rpm than just off idle, something is wrong with it. I agree about the less noise part though.
I have seen a few splitters that automatically return to idle when the cylinder is retracted and speed up when it's moved. That'd be nice for lowering the noise when you're gathering the next batch of rounds.

I found a factory exhaust deflector for the Kohler on my splitter. It aims the exhaust and sound down instead of out. It's not a huge difference but it didn't cost much and was easy to install.

 

[Jeekinz]

I have the same splitter (Yard Machines) been looking for some mods. I fabbed a side table so far. The previous owner repowered with a 6.75 Briggs, pump looks to be stock but Im not 100% on that. It has good speed at higher rpms, but I run it slightly above idle. I was thinking about fabbing up an adjustable linkage that would kick the handle on return. The last delivery of rounds I got are somewhat the same length so it would streamline things a bit.
My main complaint is the fuel capacity. I need a bigger tank.

 

[aokpops]

I went from a 11 gallon pump to a 16 and 4 way I can not keep up with one person. At this point to go faster I would need a elevator firewood is a lot like getting groceries you put in the cart you take it out to pay for it and put it back in the cart go put in car then take it out when you get home then put in the cupboards or frige then take out the trash. Anytime a person can get rid of touching stuff 500 times just to 499 times would save a lot

 

[VirginiaIron]

I split onto conveyors so never use the vertical anyway. I have tables bolted to mine. The push plate is bolted over the factory wedge so could be converted back to vertical if needed. I also load big stuff with my loader.

That looks dangeroso! Nevertheless, I am impressed. Stay safe!

 

[HansFranz]

I have a Tractor Supply hydraulic splitter, and I've also wondered about ways to speed it up. Kind of off-topic, but have you seen those "kinetic" splitters that use a flywheel to store the energy and then split the log in the blink of an eye?

The look bada$$ ... I've thought about trying to make one, but they're a bit scary, looks like you need to design/use them carefully. Seems like one design feature you need is to require two hands on the levers to make sure your hands are out of the line of fire!

 

[Jeekinz]

^^^^ Hard pass on that!

Besides the logs flying around, it just looks like extra work. When I get a log that splits easy, I hold it up and just kiss it with the wedge, making multiple splits pretty fast.